Looking for a taste of summer in the winter? Bruschetta with capriglio peppers.
Origin
Capriglio peppers are a variety that have grown for over a hundred years exclusively in the small town of Capriglio d’Asti in Piedmont. The unique characteristics of the terrain and climate are the perfect habitat for this variety, which doesn’t grow anywhere else. This small-medium fruit is heart shaped and can be red or yellow, with only three ribs. It is said that Capriglio peppers are a natural hybrid between a small-sized cultivar and other, much larger Cunean varieties. There was a strong local market for them until the 1960s, being very much in demand in Chieri, Asti and Turin. But with the introduction of larger varieties, production became more for personal consumption for those in the know – a tradition passed down from generation to generation. They now at risk of extinction, and have been under Slow Food protection since 2000.
Cookit
Capriglio peppers are a late variety: they’re harvested from August through late October. They can be stuffed with rice and baked, or pan fried with oil and oregano. Thanks to their meaty texture, they’re also perfect in preserves. The most traditional type is “sotto raspa”: whole peppers are put in a jar, stems and all, and immersed in a solution of vinegar, salt and boiling water. They are then covered with pomace, the the remains of grapes after pressing them to make local wine. After 30 days, they’re ready to be eaten or put in the pantry for winter.
Did you know
Older generations like to tell a story about Capriglio peppers: they say that Don Bosco’s mother, Margherita, was born in Capriglio and had always grown them. She took the seeds with her when she moved to Turin so she could recreate her garden there. Actually, the fact that this historic pepper isn’t extinct is down to the work of local farmers. Today there are 10 producers who continue the tradition, and they all belong to an association called “Cuore di Peperone” or the “Pepper hearts.”
